Roth criticizes “disgusting, open anti-Semitism” in parts of the left
“Claudia Roth should have done something, it broke our hearts”
There were several anti-Semitic incidents during the closing gala of the Berlinale. Directors spoke of a genocide by the Israelis against the Palestinians. Roni Roman is a relative of victims of Hamas terror and says: “That was a platform for hate and anti-Semitism.”
The Berlinale awards ceremony was “partly unbearable,” says Claudia Roth. In addition, the Minister of State for Culture states that certain “left-wing radicals” are openly hostile to Jews. In the interview, the politician also spoke about the future of the Documenta art show.
KMinister of State for Culture Claudia Roth has accused parts of the political left of hatred of Jews. “There is this disgusting open anti-Semitism among left-wing radicals,” said the Green politician the magazine “Spiegel” after the scandal at the Berlinale last weekend.
The Green Party politician now judged that the low point of the award ceremony was the appearance of the US filmmaker Ben Russell. The director accused Israel of genocide against the Palestinians. “Despite all sympathy for the suffering of civilians, this really has nothing to do with the situation in the Gaza Strip,” said Roth. And further: “Russell’s performance was unbearable.”
The Minister of State for Culture sees the Berlinale management as responsible for the “failed and partly unbearable award ceremony”. “There should have been a completely different and better preparation on how to deal with such performances, how not to leave it alone and who is doing it on the part of the Berlinale,” criticized Roth.
The 68-year-old also defended her own, much criticized passivity at the award ceremony. Roth sat in the audience. She now explained: “I have a very difficult time with the idea that representatives of the federal and state governments and thus the state would intervene at an international film festival, a cultural event hosted by the Berlinale.”
Demands on the Documenta makers
Roth expressed skepticism in “Spiegel” about the idea of making state funding for cultural institutions dependent on an anti-Semitism clause. “You saw it in Berlin. “Senator for Culture Joe Chialo, whom I respect very much, had to withdraw the anti-Semitism clause because of legal concerns,” said the Green politician. The so necessary fight against anti-Semitism should not lead to “the state having the role of saying what art and culture is allowed to be and what is not.”
However, Roth was confident about the future of the Documenta art show in Kassel. Documenta 15 took place in the summer of 2020 and was overshadowed by allegations of anti-Semitism. The exhibition is supported by the state of Hesse, the city of Kassel and the federal government.
“The Documenta “In my opinion, it will take place as planned in 2027,” she told “Spiegel”. The art show is currently without a leader after the old search committee resigned last November.
Recently there was speculation that the art exhibition, which is considered one of the most important in the world, would be postponed or even canceled.
The new management was actually supposed to be appointed at the beginning of this year. “It is necessary to first agree on a new structure in which we take into account the errors of the last Documenta,” Roth continued via “Spiegel”. “Without a new structure there will be no money from us.”